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Huntsville hotel standoff details: 'Don't move or I'll shoot'

Huntsville hotel gun scare

A tense 8 hours ended with no injuries when Huntsville police were able to enter a man's hotel room and take him into custody -- a stand-off that kept guests at the Microtel Inn & Suites just off U.S. 72 in Huntsville out of their rooms until after 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Aug. 16, 2014. (Jonathan Grass/jgrass@al.com)

According to a statement released by Huntsville police at 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2014, the gunman was a 54-year-old man from the Hendersonville, Ky., area.

The police had been called to the hotel, which is at 1820 Chase Creek Road, just off of Shields Road and U.S. 72 east of Huntsville, at 6 p.m. on Friday.

An employee said he had gone to check on the occupant in room No. 209 on behalf of the management. The employee said when he opened the door, a man was seated on the bed holding a pistol to his own head. The man said, "Don't move or I'll shoot."

The employee shut the door and called police. When they arrived, officers spoke through the door with the subject, who told them, "If you come in this door, I'll blow your brains out."

Police set up a perimeter and established a command post at the Urgent Medical Care parking lot near the hotel. Guests were evacuated to the Chase Veterinary Clinic. Arby's restaurant and the Waffle House nearby were also evacuated. Members of the Huntsville Police Special Operations Division responded to the scene with Crisis Negotiators and SWAT taking over the inner perimeter.

Police say that the man was "extremely intoxicated, vituperative and uncooperative" with negotiators' attempts to communicate with him. The SWAT team was able to monitor the subject with their surveillance equipment.

After approximately eight hours, the SWAT Team entered the room and were able to secure the man. He was transported to Huntsville Hospital for medical evaluation.